Books like 'A Free Life'
Readers who enjoyed A Free Life by Ha Jin also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary literary-fiction realistic poc-mc historical-fiction family politics drama epic
-
-
![Finding Billie Romano by Jean Grainger]()
Finding Billie Romano by Jean Grainger
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsUSA Today bestselling author wants to take you to Ireland for a story that will leave you wanting more long after you turn the last page... Twenty-five year old Billie Romano is struggling. She is grieving the death of her beloved dad and nothing in her life is going right... -
![The Ones We Leave Behind by Deanna Lynn Sletten]()
The Ones We Leave Behind by Deanna Lynn Sletten
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsDiane picked up her mother’s phone. “How do you feel about your mother being let out of prison today after sixty-five years?” the reporter asked. Diane stared at her mother. “My grandmother is alive?” That one phone call hurled shock waves throughout the entire family.1955 – Anna Bergman Craine’s life changes in an instant when she commits a crime of passion and is sentenced to life in prison... -
![What Grows Dies Here by Anne Malcom]()
What Grows Dies Here by Anne Malcom
Rated: 5.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“You will be loved many times by many men. But you will only ever love one man. And that man will be your destruction.”Wren Whitney lives a beautiful life. She is a child of Beverly Hills, growing up in boarding schools, on private jets—a life of extreme wealth and privilege.Wren Whitney lives for adventure. She is afraid of nothing. She says no to nothing... -
-
![Brothers in Arms by Paul Langan]()
Brothers in Arms by Paul Langan
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMartin Luna, a new student at Bluford High, is at the center of this story. Haunted by the tragic death of his little brother, Martin seeks one thing: revenge. But his mother wants more for her only remaining child... -
![Someone To Love Me by Anne Schraff]()
Someone To Love Me by Anne Schraff
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWelcome to Bluford High. This widely acclaimed teen series set in an urban high school features engaging, accessible writing and appealing, contemporary storylines.At first, Bobby Wallace was everything Cindy Gibson hoped for. He was friendly, seemingly mature, and hansome--the perfect escape from her problems in school and even bigger troubles at home... -
![Next to Normal by Brian Yorkey, Tom Kitt]()
Next to Normal by Brian Yorkey, Tom Kitt
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratings"A brave and breathtaking musical... -
![Death Leaves a Shadow: A Marlowe Black Mystery by Gabriel F.W. Koch]()
Death Leaves a Shadow: A Marlowe Black Mystery by Gabriel F.W. Koch
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThen comes the brutal announcement that his pregnant fianc�e has committed suicide. Marlowe simply cannot accept the official verdict, and as anguish and rage replace the love he once felt, he is driven by a madness that forces him to question his own integrity while he hunts an elusive killer."Koch is an author who has his priorities in order... -
![Murder on the Naval Base by Behcet Kaya]()
Murder on the Naval Base by Behcet Kaya
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsMurder on the Naval Base begins with a blurry account of a cold-blooded shooting of a couple, singled out while having dinner at an Officer's Club. The prime suspect is apprehended hours later while apparently attempting to flee the state... -
![Ties That Bind by Brenda Jackson]()
Ties That Bind by Brenda Jackson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt all started in college, in the turbulent sixties, when Randolph and Jenna became lovers. Randolph knew the moment he saw Jenna Haywood that he had to make her his. But the path to love is not an easy one. His wealthy Grandmother Julia disapproves of the match and unbeknowst to him, his brother's seemingly docile fiancee has a few plans of her own that she would like to set in motion... -
![God Don't Like Ugly by Mary Monroe]()
God Don't Like Ugly by Mary Monroe
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsIn this richly drawn novel set on the streets, porches and in the parlors of 1960s Ohio, Mary Monroe brings to life the bond between two girls from opposite sides of the tracks--and the shattering event that changes their lives forever. At the heart of the story is Annette Goode, a shy, awkward girl who keeps a terrible secret. Mr... -
![The Short Novels of John Steinbeck by John Steinbeck]()
The Short Novels of John Steinbeck by John Steinbeck
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsCollected here for the first time in a deluxe paperback volume are six of John Steinbeck's most widely read and beloved novels...Categorized as:
drama historical-fiction literary-fiction politics realistic 20th-century anthologies classics -
![The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson]()
The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsA haunting novel spanning several generations, The Seed Keeper follows a Dakota family's struggle to preserve their way of life, and their sacrifices to protect what matters most.Rosalie Iron Wing has grown up in the woods with her father, Ray, a former science teacher who tells her stories of plants, of the stars, of the origins of the Dakota people...Categorized as:
historical-fiction literary-fiction family poc-mc realistic fiction audiobook outdoors -
![16 on the Block by Babygirl Daniels]()
16 on the Block by Babygirl Daniels
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA girl's sixteenth birthday is supposed to be sweet, but for Summer Flynt, it was the day that her life changed forever. Young, fly, and beautiful, Summer is under the wing of her older sister, Trish. But when Trish steals something that doesn't belong to her and gets involved in a lifestyle she can't handle, she pays with her life... -
-
![The Bamboo Stalk by Saud Alsanousi, سعود السنعوسي]()
The Bamboo Stalk by Saud Alsanousi, سعود السنعوسي
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsDaring and bold, The Bamboo Stalk takes an unflinching look at the universal struggles of identity, race, and class as they intersect between two disparate societies: Kuwait and the Philippines. Josephine comes to Kuwait from the Philippines to work as a maid, where she meets Rashid, a spoiled but kind-hearted only son...Categorized as:
drama historical-fiction literary-fiction realistic 21st-century action-adventure adult audiobook -
![Drawing Me In by Tracey Alvarez, Book Cover by Design]()
Drawing Me In by Tracey Alvarez, Book Cover by Design
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPassion won’t hold them together when past fears threaten to tear them apart… She’s drawn by his wild spirit… Bree Findlow’s ordered world slides into chaos when the man who broke her heart arrives back in their small New Zealand home-town. But with years of avoidance tactics under her belt, she figures ignoring the sexy-as-sin artist whose touch colors her red hot, is a practical solution... -
![Because by Mo Willems]()
Because by Mo Willems
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMo Willems, a number one New York Times best-selling author and illustrator, composes a powerful symphony of chance, discovery, persistence, and magic in this moving tale of a young girl's journey to center stage. Illustrator Amber Ren brings Willems' music to life, conducting a stunning picture-book debut...Categorized as:
family historical-fiction poc-mc realistic book children children-books contemporary -
![Arminius and Thusnelda Versus Rome by Michael G. Kramer]()
Arminius and Thusnelda Versus Rome by Michael G. Kramer
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsEmperor Augustus sent General Varus to complete the conquest by Rome of Germania. Instead of that happening, Armininius and Thunelda who were helped by some German warriors wiped out three entire Roman legions as well as all of their supporting units. Due to family jealousies and betrayal, Thusnelda was made a slave and her son called Thumelicus was made a gladiator who had some successes... -
![Tollak til Ingeborg by Tore Renberg]()
Tollak til Ingeborg by Tore Renberg
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsDei kallar han Tollak til Ingeborg. Den gamle stabukken som bur oppe ved sagplassen. Alle veit at han har gjort ting på sin eigen måte. Alle veit kva han gjorde med dei gutane. Alle veit at ungane hans ikke kjem heim så ofte. Alle veit han tok til seg han dei kalla Oddotosken. Og alle hugsar den gode kona hans, Ingeborg. Men det er noko folk ikkje veit.Det er på tide å fortelje... -
![Africa's Child (Dancing Soul Trilogy) by Maria Nhambu]()
Africa's Child (Dancing Soul Trilogy) by Maria Nhambu
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrom the Foreword by Marian Wright Edelman Africa’s Child is an unforgettable and searingly personal book….In the face of repeated obstacles and injustices, Nhambu continued to analyze the world around her with wit and a sharp sense of humor... -
![Feeling Lucky by M.S.M. Barkawitz]()
Feeling Lucky by M.S.M. Barkawitz
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSome characters and situations are fictitious. Others are only too real in this modern-day thriller set amid the chaos of a global epidemic and a cultural uprising that set the world ablaze. She's Lucky one day-Jackie the next. Actress or con artist? Avenging angel or gold-digger? Hunter or prey? Straight or lesbian? Black Lives Matter activist? Only she knows the truth... -
![Tooth for Tooth by J.K. Franko]()
Tooth for Tooth by J.K. Franko
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhat would YOU do?What would you do if you got away with murder? Would you stop there? Could you?Susie and Roy thought that they committed the perfect crime.Their planning was meticulous. Their execution was flawless. But, there is always a loose end, isn’t there? Always a singing bone.Now, while enemies multiply and suspicions abound, their perfect world begins to crumble... -
![The Sacred Well Murders by Susan Rowland]()
The Sacred Well Murders by Susan Rowland
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA simple job turns deadly when Mary Wandwalker, novice detective, is hired to chaperone a young American, Rhiannon, to the Oxford University Summer School on the ancient Celts. Worried by a rhetoric of blood sacrifice, Mary and her operatives, Caroline, and Anna, attend a sacrifice at a sacred well. They discover that those who fail to individuate their gods become possessed by them... -
![Always by Blue Saffire]()
Always by Blue Saffire
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratings**Warning: This title is a re-release of Blue's website exclusive Never. It's been totally rewritten with over 116 pages of new content.***Award winning, Bestselling, Author Blue Saffire presentsAlwaysKingShe’s been wanting in my bed for a long, long time. I should’ve shut that shit all the way down, but I’ve been flirting with Misty for years... -
-
![Whisling Island Miracles by Julia Clemens]()
Whisling Island Miracles by Julia Clemens
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSometimes all we need is a bit of a miracle. Join the women of Whisling as they find theirs... -
![I Know Who Holds Tomorrow by Francis Ray]()
I Know Who Holds Tomorrow by Francis Ray
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn her mind's eyes, she could see Wes, tall and elegant in his tailored tuxedo with a patterned vest, black tie, and snow white pocket square. Her red Valentino slip gown highlighted her honeyed complexion and chocolate brown eyes. The gown also picked up the red in Wes's vest and the red in the rose in his lapel. They were the perfect couple and it was show time. And she wanted to scream... -
![A Hope For Emily by Kate Hewitt]()
A Hope For Emily by Kate Hewitt
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsLooking back, I wish I could find my way back to that moment. I’d snatch it and hold onto it and live in it for the rest of my life, if I could. When Emily could still throw her arms around me. Oh God, just give me that moment, or one like it again. That’s all I want...Categorized as:
drama family historical-fiction realistic literary-fiction fiction womens-fiction contemporary -
![Making Hearts by Jack Getze]()
Making Hearts by Jack Getze
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsInterrupting the Soria family’s holiday feast, childish teenager Emily requires the hospital emergency room for an apparent attack of appendicitis. But a blunt nurse explains the truth: Emily is giving birth. The seventeen-year-old has tricked her mind and body into believing she isn’t pregnant, when the baby is full term and already being born... -
![Christmas for the Halfpenny Orphans by Cathy Sharp]()
Christmas for the Halfpenny Orphans by Cathy Sharp
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA gritty and compelling drama from the bestselling author of The Orphans of Halfpenny Street. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Sheila Jeffries.Little twin sisters, Sarah and Samantha are all alone in the world. When their mother died giving birth to Sarah, she was blamed for the death by her father and her learning difficulties serve only to make him more angry and violent towards her... -
![Pushing Pause by Celeste O. Norfleet]()
Pushing Pause by Celeste O. Norfleet
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFifteen-year-old Kenisha Lewis has it all: good friends who also live to dance, a hot boyfriend headed for the NBA, loving parents and a bling-filled home in the burbs. But all that changes when her dad drops a bomb: he wants a divorce—and his pregnant girlfriend is moving in... -
![The Missionary by Rowena Kinread]()
The Missionary by Rowena Kinread
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPatricius, a young man of Britannia, is taken from his home and family when Gaelic pirates attack his village. On his arrival in Ireland, he is sold as a slave to the cruel underking of the Dalriada tribe in the north. Six years later, Patricius manages to escape. His journey takes him through France to Ravenna in Italy... -
![Her First Palestinian by Saeed Teebi]()
Her First Palestinian by Saeed Teebi
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsElegant, surprising stories about Palestinian immigrants in Canada navigating their identities in circumstances that push them to the emotional brink.Saeed Teebi’s intense, engrossing stories plunge into the lives of characters grappling with their experiences as Palestinian immigrants to Canada...Categorized as:
literary-fiction poc-mc realistic historical-fiction fiction contemporary anthologies poc-author -
![Si Anak Kuat by Tere Liye]()
Si Anak Kuat by Tere Liye
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAmelia, si bungsu, anak yang paling kuat. Buku pertama sekaligus terbit terakhir dari Serial Anak-Anak Mamak."Kau anak paling kuat di keluarga ini, Amelia. Bukan kuat secara fisik, tapi kuat dari dalam. Kau adalah anak yang paling teguh hatinya, paling kokoh pemahaman baiknya. Kau menyayangi sekitar, dan sungguh-sungguh mau membantu orang lain... -
![The Shiver by Jakub Małecki]()
The Shiver by Jakub Małecki
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsONLY ONE CHAPTER - 1938-1969 One of the most renowned books of 2015.Polish bestseller.The book compared to the works of Johnatan Carroll, Fiodor Dostojewski, Andy Weir and Jurij Andruchowycz.The novel has been recommended by the best Polish Wiesław Myśliwski, Jacek Dukaj, Szczepan Twardoch, Wit Szostak.Masterly prose wrapped in magical realism...Categorized as:
literary-fiction historical-fiction drama family fiction contemporary audiobook magical-realism -
-
![Burlian by Tere Liye]()
Burlian by Tere Liye
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsBurlian, anak kampung dengan segala keriangan keluarganya. Bercita-cita ingin naik kapal besar keliling dunia. Buku 2, dari Serial Anak2 Mamak. Buku 3, PUKAT terbit Februari 2010, Buku 4, Eliana direncanakan terbit Oktober 2010, Buku 1, Amelia direncanakan terbit Februari 2011... -
![The Mustachioed Woman of Shanghai by Isham Cook]()
The Mustachioed Woman of Shanghai by Isham Cook
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWant to know what's really going on with relationships in China today? It is the Shanghai of courtesans and concubines, danger and decadence, updated to 2020. American expat author Isham Cook has disappeared... -
![Troubled Waters by Rosie Harris]()
Troubled Waters by Rosie Harris
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe looked after them. But who would look after her? When fourteen-year-old Sara Jenkins rescues her baby sister, Myfanwy, from the fire which kills their mother, little does she realise the burden of responsibility she is taking on. Her father, Ifor, is perceived as strict and moral by everyone in the village... -
![Turn Of The Tide by Rosie Harris]()
Turn Of The Tide by Rosie Harris
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAn irresistibly moving saga of one girl’s struggle to survive.When Lucy Patterson promises her dying mother that she'll leave the comfortable home they've shared with her mother's employer, Stanley Jones, to go and live with her Aunt Flo on the other side of the Mersey, she has no idea of the terrible consequences... -
![Fighting for Tara: a novel by Sunanda J. Chatterjee]()
Fighting for Tara: a novel by Sunanda J. Chatterjee
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHow far will a mother go to save her child? “I have no use for a baby girl. Get rid of her tonight!” He towered over her as she cringed in fear. But Hansa, a thirteen-year-old child-bride in rural India, refuses to remain a victim of the oppressive society where a female child is an unwanted burden. Instead of drowning her baby, Hansa escapes from her village with three-month-old Tara... -
![No Honour by Awais Khan]()
No Honour by Awais Khan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA young woman defies convention in a small Pakistani village, with devastating results for her and her family. A stunning, immense beautiful novel about courage, family and the meaning of love, when everything seems lost… In sixteen-year-old Abida’s small Pakistani village, there are age-old rules to live by, and her family’s honour to protect... -
![Magic Alex and the Secret History of Rock and Roll by Harry F. MacDonald]()
Magic Alex and the Secret History of Rock and Roll by Harry F. MacDonald
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThis is the tale of Magic Alex, the man who was everywhere: with Leonard Cohen in Hydra; in Crete with Joni Mitchell; in a Paris bathroom when Jimmy Morrison went down; working as a roadie setting up the Beatles last rooftop gig; an assistant to John and Yoko when they had a bed-in at the Amsterdam Hilton; with the Stones when they were charged for pissing against a wall; the first to find and... -
![THE SALVANT BROTHERS: Book 1- Axl (Second Chance Romance) by Sonja B.]()
THE SALVANT BROTHERS: Book 1- Axl (Second Chance Romance) by Sonja B.
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI am death. My face is the last thing my targets see before I snatch their souls from their bodies. I gain strength from their fear and pleasure from their screams. Just hearing my name will make a mother fucker think twice about crossing me. In my line of business there is no weakness and there’s definitely no room for love... -
![Brothers and Sisters by Bebe Moore Campbell]()
Brothers and Sisters by Bebe Moore Campbell
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe phenomenal New York Times bestseller, now for the first time in trade paperback. Living and working in Los Angeles, a young African-American woman finds herself torn between loyalty to her race and her commitment to a cause... -
![The Golden Son by Shilpi Somaya Gowda]()
The Golden Son by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe first of his family to go to college, Anil Patel, the golden son, carries the weight of tradition and his family’s expectations when he leaves his tiny Indian village to begin a medical residency in Dallas, Texas, at one of the busiest and most competitive hospitals in America... -
-
![A Delicate Marriage by Margarita Barresi]()
A Delicate Marriage by Margarita Barresi
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFrom glittering ballrooms to verdant mountains to poverty-stricken slums, A Delicate Marriage takes the reader on a vivid tour of Puerto Rico forty years after becoming a U.S. colony, a time of great change and political turmoil on the island.Isabela, a wealthy woman, sacrifices her artistic aspirations to marry Marco, a penniless man dedicated to improving conditions on the island... -
![The Sense of Touch by Ron Parsons]()
The Sense of Touch by Ron Parsons
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNamed to Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2014Sprung from the variously lush, rugged, and frozen emotional landscapes of the north country, this luminous collection of stories captures the progress of a diverse ensemble of souls as they struggle to uncover themselves and negotiate a meaningful communion, of any kind, with the world around them... -
![Susan by Lena Kennedy]()
Susan by Lena Kennedy
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSusan is a London slum child, brought up in an East End orphanage. Rebelling against its rigid rules, she runs away to Soho and is adopted by a group of prostitutes. Soon, she too is earning her living 'on the game'. When Billy 'Apples' Rafferty, a Cockney villain with a heart of gold, becomes her protector, Sue swears to give up her racy life... -
![Losing You by Susan Lewis]()
Losing You by Susan Lewis
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTwo lives. Two families. One tragedy.Lauren Scott is bright, talented and beautiful. At eighteen, she is the most precious gift in the world to her mother, and has a dazzling career ahead of her.Oliver Lomax is a young man full of promise, despite the shadow his own, deeply troubled, mother casts over him.Then one fateful night, Oliver makes a decision that tears their worlds apart... -
![Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins]()
Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEvery estranged member of the Lafayette clan has descended upon the crumbling Arkansas homestead to settle the accounts of the newly-dead patriarch. As his three adult children sort through a lifetime of hoarded mementos and junk, they collide over clutter, debt, and a contentious family history...Categorized as:
drama historical-fiction literary-fiction poc-mc fiction male-author contemporary black-mc -
![Evening Class by Maeve Binchy]()
Evening Class by Maeve Binchy
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsAmong the many evening classes starting all over Dublin is an 'Introduction to Italian'. On the surface it could be just one of hundreds in which some students will succeed and some will fall along the way. the hopes and dreams of so many people are tied up in the twice weekly lessons...
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.
